Extra mature Gouda

Weydeland VSOC Gouda is made in the Woerden region of Holland on the banks of the river Oude Rijn. Deep orange in colour with visible salt and protein crystals, this outstanding extra mature Gouda has been aged for an incredible three years (1000 days). The ‘VSOC’ in its name stands for ‘Very Superior Old Cheese!’ Weydeland VSOC Gouda has a delicious nutty caramel flavour and long finish, perfectly complemented by its crystalline crunch. More information (including allergens) >

£8.50

John says …

For those with a sweet tooth this Gouda is as close to caramel as cheese gets. Its always a hit with children and adults alike.

The cheesy details

Style

Hard

Milk

Cow

Pasteurisation

Pasteurised

Vegetarian

Country of Origin

Woerden, Netherlands

Strength

Strong

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More information

Ingredients & Allergens

Ingredients: Cheese (milk).
Allergen advice: for allergens see ingredients in bold.

Tasting notes

Weydeland VSOC Gouda is made in the Woerden region of Holland on the banks of the River Oude Rijn. Deep orange in colour with visible salt crystals, this extra mature Gouda has been aged for three years. It has a delicious nutty caramel flavour and long finish, perfectly complemented by a crystalline crunch.

Pasteurised cow's milk
Animal rennet

What is special about Weydeland VSOC Gouda?

The Truer Family has been making Weydeland VSOC Gouda since the 1980s. It is made with milk bought-in from near by farms where the cows graze outside for at least 120 days each year. This produces milk with a high vitamin content and creamy taste. The cheese takes its name from "The Weylandt" polder on which the cows graze. Ten litres of milk are needed to make one kilogram of cheese.

Weydeland VSOC Gouda is made using a traditional Gouda recipe and techniques. Each wheel of cheese weighs between 12 and 16 Kg. To develop its very special flavour this cheese is matured for 1000 days. The wheels are placed on wooden boards to absorb moisture and they are turned regularly. Initially the young cheeses are turned three times each week to ensure the salt is spread evenly through each wheel. Older cheeses are turned just once every three weeks. During the maturation process the cheeses are sprayed with a wax-like coat that protects the cheese but still allows it to breath. This rind should be removed before eating.

Mature Gouda such as Weydeland VSOC is best suited to a cheeseboard and works well alongside a Dutch beer or robust red wine such as a Barolo or Pinot Noir.

Gouda is one of The Netherlands best-known cheeses. In 2016, total cheese production of the Netherlands was 730,000 tonnes, of which 60% was Gouda. Its name comes from the town of Gouda in Southern Holland which is home to one of Europe's largest cheese markets: Goudse Kassmart.

Similar to the techniques used to make English Cheddar, key stages in making Gouda are "scalding" and "pressing". Both drive out more moisture from the curds and make it a very durable cheese, well suited to export across Europe since the 12th Century. Young Gouda, just a few months old has a supple texture and milk-sweet fruity taste. This comes from the scalding and washing of the curd when some whey is drained off, removing with it some of the lactose. This reduces acidity since the activity of lactic bacteria is reduced, leaving behind a sweeter, more elastic curd. Before maturing, Gouda wheels are stacked in vertical presses and lightly pressed for a period lasting between a few hours and a couple of days. As it matures Gouda becomes firmer and fruitier. By 18 months its interior has become deep yellow in colour, brittle in texture and granular.

The Gouda name is not protected and this has lead to many imitators. Farmhouse versions of Gouda had almost disappeared by start of 20th Century, but now there are 250 dairies producing an artisanal version known as "Goudse Boerenkaas". Currently only three of these dairies make it using raw milk. Farmhouse Gouda can be aged up to 5 or 6 years creating an incredibly rich, grainy paste and long finish. As is typical of raw milk cheeses its flavour differs from farm to farm.

Cheese

The best Gouda I’ve ever tasted

Caramel and Fudge

A very firm cheese, slightly sweet but full of flavours of fudge and caramel. Stays long in the mouth, so a little goes quite a long way. Delicious.

Moreish

A delicious gouda with amazing parcels of salt/protein which add a special taste to the cheese. Hard, crumbly deliciousness.